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Q: What is the purpose of this program?
The Summer Internship Program (SIP) is designed to provide young people an opportunity to spend a summer working side-by-side with some of the most talented scientists in the world in an environment devoted exclusively to biomedical research.
Q: Where are these training opportunities located?
These traineeships are available only in the intramural laboratories of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Most of the laboratories are located on the main NIH campus in Bethesda, MD. Several Institutes or their laboratories that focus on particular research areas are found at other sites around the country. These include facilities of:
- The National Cancer Institute in Frederick, MD.
- The National Institute on Aging in Baltimore, MD.
- The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in Detroit, MI.
- The National Institute on Drug Abuse in Baltimore, MD.
- The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, NC.
- The Phoenix Epidemiology and Clinical Research Branch of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases in Phoenix, AZ, which focuses on diabetes among the Pima Indians.
- The Rocky Mountain Laboratories of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Hamilton, MT.
Q: Is this a paid internship?
Yes, students who are selected receive a monthly stipend that is based on education level and experience.
Q: Is summer housing provided by the NIH?
The NIH is unable to provide housing for summer interns. Information on housing in the Bethesda, MD area can be found at the Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA) Committee website. It might help you to know that the NIH is on the Red Line of the Washington, DC Metro at the Medical Center stop. Getting around via Metro is generally a good choice.
Q: What are the start and end dates for the program?
Start and end dates are negotiated individually by the applicant and the NIH investigator who has selected him/her as an intern. Students selected for the program usually begin work between mid-May and the end of June. The minimum time commitment is 8 weeks, 40 hours a week.
Q: Can this award be used for research training outside of the NIH?
No, this award is intended to provide support for training in the intramural research program at the NIH. It cannot be used for any other purpose.
Q: Can I apply if I am not a citizen of the United States (US)?
You are only eligible to apply to this program if you are a citizen or permanent resident of the US.
Q: Are there any eligibility criteria in addition to citizenship?
Yes, you must be 16 years of age or older when you begin the program and must either be enrolled at least half-time in high school or an accredited United States (US) college or university or plan to be enrolled in the fall.
Q: Is the SIP limited to specific majors?
No, however, most summer positions are in research laboratories. You should have successfully completed courses in biology and chemistry.
Q: Is there a minimum grade point average (GPA) to participate in this program?
No, however, NIH investigators will clearly want to select applicants who appear likely to make the greatest research contributions to their laboratories.
Q: Are students who are US citizens attending foreign institutions eligible to apply?
Our training authority is intended primarily to encourage US citizens and permanent residents attending accredited US institutions to consider careers in biomedical research. However, applications from students who are US citizens attending institutions in foreign countries can be considered on a case-by-case basis. If this applies to you, please inquire by e-mail before submitting an application.
Q: Is there a separate program for students currently enrolled in medical or dental school?
No, all individuals interested in coming to the NIH for the summer should apply to the SIP. If you are enrolled in medical or dental school, please state that fact in your cover letter.
Q: Is there a deadline for submission of applications?
Yes, the application deadline is March 1 for all participating NIH Institutes and Centers. Applications are accepted only from mid-November through March 1.
Q: When should I apply?
We recommend that you apply as soon as possible after the application site becomes available, as acceptances are made on a rolling basis.
Q: Can I update my application from last year?
No, you will need to reapply and request new letters from your references.
Q: Can you provide any advice on how to write a good application?
You might wish to read "Writing Successful Applications for Biomedical Research Training Programs: Advice from the NIH Office of Intramural Training & Education."
Q: Who should write my letters of recommendation?
You should select references who are able to explain why you would be a good addition to a research group. Anyone who could comment on your skills in the laboratory, creativity, problem solving abilities, motivation, ability to handle complex scientific literature and concepts, etc. would be a good choice. Recommendations from individuals with a science research background are likely to carry more weight than recommendations from those with less understanding of biomedical research. Recommendations from family members are never appropriate. You may wish to provide the individuals you select some information on the program, your resume or curriculum vitae (CV), and a description of what you hope to accomplish during the program so that they can write a highly relevant letter.
Q: Is there a deadline for receipt of my reference letters?
We ask references to submit their letters within 2 weeks of our request. All letters must be received by March 15.
Q: What should I do if my references have not received a request for a letter of recommendation on my behalf?
The system-generated e-mail request for a letter of recommendation might have failed to reach your reference for any one of several reasons:
- You might have entered an incorrect e-mail address.
- Either our e-mail server or your reference's might have malfunctioned at the time the message was being sent.
- The message might have been blocked from reaching your reference by a Spam filter.
You should therefore: - Check the e-mail address that you entered for your reference and correct it if necessary, then re-send the request for a letter.
- Ask your reference to check the folder to which his/her Spam filter diverts suspicious messages. This folder might be called "Junk mail," "Bulk mail," or "Spam."
- If neither of these strategies remedies the problem, please send a message that includes the name of the program to which you have applied to trainingwww@mail.nih.gov.
Q: Who ensures that letters of reference are received?
You are responsible for making certain that we receive your letters of reference. You should check to make sure your references have received our e-mail requesting a letter. After 2 weeks, you should log in to our system and check your application using the Modify Application Tool to make certain that the letters have arrived. If not, you can either re-send the request or contact your reference directly to encourage her/him to submit the letter.
Q: May I submit more than the required two letters of reference?
No, the on-line application system will only accept two reference letters.
Q: To whom should I address my cover letter?
Because your cover letter can be read by any investigator in the NIH intramural program, you may wish to use the salutation "Dear Sir/Madam."
Q: I am a high school student. What should I enter for "Total Credit Hours" and "Major?"
Please enter "0" (zero) and "NA" (not applicable), respectively.
Q: Should I list all the courses and grades that I have completed or only my science courses?
Please list all of your completed courses with grades, as well as the courses that you plan to complete by the end of the academic year.
Q: May I apply to a specific Institute or Center?
If you already know the Institute or Center in which you wish to work (for example, if you are a returning student), you may select ONE from the drop-down list. Note: Applicants who indicate a preference to work in a particular Institute or Center may still be considered for positions elsewhere.
Q: If I do not have access to the Internet, how can I apply?
Visit your local library to access the Web.
Q: How will I know if my application is complete?
This year, for the first time, you will be able to submit a partial application. Please note, however, that NIH investigators will be able to access complete applications only. If you submit a partial application, you will receive an e-mail with directions for completing it. Once you have submitted a completed application, you will receive an e-mail confirming that your application is complete. This message will contain instructions for checking to see whether your letters of reference have been received. Note: Your application must be completed by March 1 (11:59 p.m., EST). Applications that are incomplete after the March 1 deadline will not receive further consideration.
Q: How are applications reviewed?
Investigators in the NIH intramural program have access to the database containing the electronic applications to this program. They can search for applicants with particular interests or specific GPAs or who are enrolled at selected universities. Each investigator decides to whom he/she will offer summer positions. The Office of Intramural Training & Education (OITE) is not involved in the selection process.
Q: How will I be notified if I am selected?
The investigator who has selected you or an administrative officer in his/her Institute or Center will contact you by phone, e-mail, or letter.
Q: How soon can I expect to hear that I am selected?
There is no definite answer to this question. You will be selected only if/when an investigator who has a position available visits the database and is impressed with your credentials. On or about May 15, those who have not been selected will be informed via e-mail. Remember, there is no central selection committee for this program.
Q: What are my chances of receiving a position in the SIP?
Like many of the research training programs at the NIH, the SIP is highly selective. Over the past several years, about 20% of applicants were selected for the program.
Q: How can I improve my chances of being selected for the SIP?
After you submit your application, you may want to contact investigators with whom you would like to work.
Q: How can I get information about specific NIH investigators whom I might contact about the research that they are conducting?
You can find information regarding NIH intramural research programs in the Intramural Research Sourcebook. If you have a particular research interest, you can access abstracts by going to the NIH Annual Reports and conducting text searches on the subjects that interest you. Once you identify investigators whose projects interest you, you can e-mail them to refer them to your SIP application. You can find contact information for NIH investigators in the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Q: Do I need to submit an official transcript even though I entered my grades into the electronic application system?
Yes, but only if you are accepted into the program. The grades that you enter into the electronic application are sufficient for evaluation purposes.
Q: Are there other research training opportunities at the NIH that I might find of interest?
If you are a recent college graduate, you may be eligible for the Postbaccalaureate IRTA program, the Technical IRTA program, or the NIH Academy. Information on all these programs can be accessed from our Student Programs page.
Q: Where else might I find information on research opportunities?
Please visit our Virtual Career Center for a wealth of information that may be of use in your search.
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